


hold your breath and count to ten

by drunknpylades



Series: edge of memory [9]
Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Communication Failure, Dysfunctional Family, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Feels, Gen, M/M, they're trying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-01
Updated: 2018-03-01
Packaged: 2019-03-25 16:54:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13839048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drunknpylades/pseuds/drunknpylades
Summary: Everyone has finally had enough of Cayde and Ace's issues. Time to go with the classic "lock them in a room until they talk" plan. Edge isn't so sure about this.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from the Shinedown song "Cut the Cord"

There’s no way to hear through the walls of his ship. No matter how much he wishes he could catch even the slightest indication that things are going well, not a whisper can be heard. That’s either a very good thing or a very bad thing. 

“How do you think they’re doing in there?”

Edge opens his eyes and looks over to where Lisbeth is seated on a shipping crate not far away. He doesn’t know her as well as the other half of Ace’s fireteam but she’s proven to be handy in a firefight and the fact that she’d come to him for help with this whole situation speaks highly of her character. 

“Probably about as well as you think. Neither one of them are very good with saying what they mean and the fact that we had to lock them in there in the first place says quite a lot.” There’s that twist in his gut that feels like guilt when remembers what it had took to get Cayde into the ship. The Exo had been cagey enough when Edge had reached out to him, asking if they could talk. And seeing Cayde and Ace look at him as the door closed and they both finally realized what was happening had made something twist painfully under his breastbone. 

“I hate doing it like this,” Lisbeth says softly. “But they were both being so damn pigheaded and it was never going to get any better.” She looks up at him with the same questions in her eyes that Edge has been asking himself. “We did the right thing, right?”

Edge tips his head back against his ship and crosses his arms. The sky is clear and cloudless where he can see it through the openings in the ceiling. “I hope so.”

 

\------------------

 

It’s over an hour later, each passing minute making that cold thing in Edge’s chest twist tighter and tighter, before Cetus finally whirrs to life with an incoming transmission. “Cayde-6 reports that he and Candace have come to an understanding and would like to know if they can be released.”

“Is he always that clinical?” Lisbeth asks with a laugh. 

Cetus blinks their optics at her and Edge feels a little of that chill in his veins melt away. “Yes, they are. It’s part of their charm.” He pokes at the little Ghost with one finger. “And you can transfer Cayde to speaker, Cetus.”

“It’s safe to let us out now. We’re all one big happy family.” Cayde’s voice comes out loud and clear, but Edge can hear the exhausted vein running through the Exo’s words. “Mostly.”

Edge and Lisbeth exchange a look before Edge nods decisively and puts his hand on the pad near the hatch of his ship. There’s a low beep before the door slides open and Edge takes a step back to let Ace step out of the ship. She gives him a look out of the corner of one eye. Something filled with some kind of emotion Edge doesn’t want to scrutinize too closely just yet. 

She steps around him with a nod and is immediately pulled into a hug from Lisbeth. 

Edge looks away when his insides twist up again at the way Ace’s knuckles turn white where they’re clutched in Lisbeth’s robe. Instead he looks at Cayde in his periphery and is unsurprised to find him watching the other two as well. “I’m glad you two finally got to talk. Even if it was under duress.”

Cayde snorts inelegantly. “Pretty sure I did more talking about my feelings in the last hour than I have in the last few years put together. I’m talked out.”

That roiling in his gut starts up again and spreads along his limbs, his hands and feet feeling heavy and like they’re not really attached to him anymore. “Understandable,” he says with much more confidence than he actually feels. “You never were the greatest at communicating your feelings.” It’s painfully blunt and insensitive for the moment they find themselves in but Edge just can’t find it in himself to feel guilty about it. Not with the exhaustion and anxiety still tugging his shoulders down. 

Cool metal touches the back of his neck and Edge reigns in the way it makes him want to flinch away. It’s just Cetus pressing at him. The Ghost has always been a little too in tune with Edge’s emotions but at times like these Edge appreciates the little guy more than he can put into words. 

“Blue mentioned something about needing someone for a few rounds in the Iron Banner before Lord Saladin leaves. She wants to show Vax that’s Shaxx’s training is better, or something equally juvenile.” He feels himself smile but it doesn’t seem to fit his face. He’s actually looking forward to some mindless violence but the smile feels brittle. “Should be fun.”

There hasn’t been time to talk to Cayde yet and it looks like now isn’t the time for it either. Ace and Lisbeth are separating and looking back at Cayde with something between apprehension and awe. Edge tilts his head toward the Exo and turns away from their little group. “Try not to screw it up this time.” That coil in his gut is still tightening like a spring. Stirring everything up and making it very hard to feel much of anything besides blank. 

The hand on his elbow stops him in his tracks. 

“Oh no, you’re not getting out of this that easy.”

Cayde tugs on him, the force spinning Edge back around and before he can step back or resist at all there is that familiar chill of metal across his lips. 

That roiling anxiousness inside him flares up for the briefest of moments before Edge melts completely into the touch. Cayde’s other hand has moved up to clench in the neck of his cloak and Edge’s own hands hover in the space at the Exo’s sides. Even now, with Cayde pressed against him and undeniable proof that there’s still a them, he hesitates. The doubt and guilt and overall exhaustion whirling around so that he hadn’t seen this coming. Hadn’t even considered it as an outcome and now here he is. Cayde’s mouth on his and the Exo’s daughter pretending not to be interested in them out of the corner of his eye. 

“You’re usually not this thick headed,” Cayde says, quiet and for his ears only. So different from the usual boisterousness and flippancy that it chokes any words Edge could have said. “We’re good, soldier boy.”

The old nickname punches the air out of him, something like a sob caught in his throat as he presses his forehead to Cayde’s. “It’s been a long few days.”

Cayde chuckles and starts fidgeting with the collar of Edge’s cloak. “That’s on you, buddy. I never asked you to bug out on me.”

Edge nods and gives the Exo a watery smile as he shifts back. “I know. That’s on me and I-I just needed to get my head on straight. You know how it goes with memories.”

It’s a dangerous topic for Guardians but Edge is feeling more and more comfortable inside his own head and this Exo is part of the reason for that. Cayde is nowhere near the most emotionally available person on the Tower but he knows Edge. Knows when he needs his space, knows when to push and prod at the spots that hurt. And Edge had thought he’d lost that. This moment right here, Cayde giving him that feeling back? He’s more grateful than he could ever truly express. Or repay. 

Someone clears their throat and both Hunters finally look away from each other, though they don’t actually pull apart just yet. 

“So,” Ace says, something smug curling around her words. “Do you two need a turn in the Time Out Ship?”

“It’s my ship so that kind of defeats the-”

Cayde tugs on his cloak to cut him off. “You know? I think we just might.”

Ace makes some kind of aborted choked laugh and Edge feels heat creep up around his ears. It’s not that he and Cayde are secretive about their relationship, or ashamed of it, but this is one of the few times they’ve been so forward about it around someone else. And this particular someone has the ability to put an end to it all. Whether she realizes it or not. 

He feels himself start to sway back, trying to put some space between himself and Cayde but the Exo is having none of that. Cayde holds onto him with that iron grip and Edge stays put. 

“Don’t worry about it,” Ace says, waving a hand at them. “I think the old man and I need some time apart anyway.” She gives Cayde a look that Edge isn’t even going to try to decipher. “You two do your thing and we’ll get lunch or something one day. Get that spicy ramen you like so much.”

Cayde nods and shoos her off with the hand not still holding onto Edge. “Yeah yeah, catch ya later, kid. Watch yourself and all that.”

Ace salutes them and just like that she and Lisbeth are gone and Edge and Cayde are left alone in the hangar. 

“Did you really have something you wanted to talk about?” Edge asks, swaying back into Cayde’s space.

“You really are off your game,” Cayde says. He takes Edge’s wrist in one hand and presses it to the panel on the side of his ship. “We’ll talk eventually but I haven’t had you in my sights in almost a week.”

Everything clicks inside him and it’s like everything finally makes sense again. “I missed you too.” Edge sets his hand on Cayde’s hip and pushes the Exo through the hatch of the ship. 

It’s not those three little words that sit heavy on his tongue every time he thinks about this, but it’s as close as they need to be. They’ve both gotten very good at reading between the lines. Anything else is just unnecessary.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Orgasms don't fix emotional problems, but they sure do help

“Recording procedures terminate, Cetus. My authorization, el zero vee three.” Edge already has a hand inside Cayde’s hood, fingers cupped around the Exo’s neck to keep him close. Cetus beeps twice at him and goes to settle in their charging dock, the little optic lights blinking out.

“Convenient,” Cayde says. He’s still entirely too coherent and Edge shoves him back against the galley table in the small main area of his ship. There’s the clink of weapons parts hitting the floor and Edge just _doesn’t care_. Cayde’s body is firm and real and _here_. The Exo’s answering laugh against his ear is easily the most beautiful sound he’s heard in weeks. “He do any other tricks?”

“Are my Ghost’s tricks really the thing you want to be talking about right now?” Edge growls against Cayde’s throat. He pushes his free hand under Cayde’s leathers, fingers skimming over warm metal. Everyone always assumes that Exo are cold to the touch. Edge knows otherwise.

“Hmm, cold hands.” Cayde jerks under his touch. The fondness in his voice unknots the last bit of tension Edge had been holding between his shoulders.

He moves his other hand down to mirror the other on Cayde’s opposite hip, pulling the Exo along as he backs them toward the alcove Edge uses as a makeshift bedroom. It’s been weeks since they’ve been together like this and even longer since they’ve been here on the ship. The amount of times they’ve actually had the luxury of a bed in the last year is staggeringly low. There was never an opportunity with everything that was happening and after… After, everything had been different.

The backs of Edge’s calves hit his lowset bed and Cayde bares him down to the mattress. One knee goes between his own legs while the other remains on the floor, Cayde’s boots scuffing against the metal floor as he looms over Edge’s body. There are hands on either side of his head effectively pinning him in place and Edge has never felt more at home.

Cayde’s mouth lights up in a smile. “Hey there, soldier.”

Pure, molten want curls in Edge’s gut and he hooks his arm around Cayde’s neck to pull the Exo fully against him. His other hand snakes between them to fumble with their pants. This is not going to take long. They’ve spent too long apart, both of them jumped up on emotion and desperation. Edge just wants to touch.

Cayde leans back and away, leaving Edge’s grasping hand between them as he shifts himself around. Both hands move down Edge’s torso to settle on his knees, nudging them further apart so that he can slide between them. Edge reaches again and catches one of Cayde’s wrists, dragging his nails over the worn leather.

“Take these off?”

It’s always a toss up of whether or not Cayde will actually comply. The Exo is oddly sensitive about his hands. No matter how many times Edge has told him that he loves the way the metal feels on his skin Cayde still doesn’t believe him.

It seems things have changed and this time the Exo can’t get them off fast enough. The gloves are tossed over his shoulder before Cayde settles his hands on Edge’s waist, metal fingers pushing up under Edge’s shirt.

A moan is pulled out of him the second cool metal touches his skin and Edge clenches his fists in the sheets at his sides. Cayde’s mouth blinks on and off in rapid succession and Edge feels something like pride at the fact that he’s rendered the other Hunter speechless. He presses his heels into the mattress and spreads his legs that little bit further to get them over Cayde’s thighs and around his waist. Even fully clothed he feels open and vulnerable in the best of ways.

Cayde’s hands dip lower, palming him through the leather of his pants with one hand while the other finishes opening the snaps at his waistband.

“Someone’s eager,” Cayde teases. “Kinda makes me wanna drag this out a little, take advantage of the free time we’ve got.”

For a moment Edge is actually afraid the Exo will make good on that threat. The hands on him stop all movement and he’s almost embarrassed at the sound that leaves him. A whine squeezes its way out of his throat, high and needy, and wrecked. Edge tightens his legs around Cayde and arches his hips into the Exo’s hands.

“Don’t tease, Cayde.” How is that his voice? “Not now.”

Cayde’s hands actually twitch against him and Edge is relieved when they return to their previous task of getting his pants open.

As soon as his cock hits the open air Edge tips his head back and moans. Eyes closed and hips rolling against Cayde’s hands. “Finally.”

“You look good like this,” Cayde says. His voice has that whisper sweet weight to it that never fails to make Edge’s insides flip. “No one would believe me if I told them how that whole stoic soldier routine just falls apart when I’ve got you pinned.”

Edge isn’t paying attention. He knows that Cayde is speaking but he’s not comprehending the words. He unclenches his hands from the sheets and moves them to cover Cayde’s. He can feel every joint and bend in the metal and it stoakes that flame inside him even higher.

“Turn your sensors up.” He says. “Want you to feel this too.”

He opens his eyes to watch and can see the exact moment that Cayde does as he asked. The Exo’s eyes burn just a bit brighter. The hands on him tightening deliciously. Edge pushes his fingers up under Cayde’s sleeves. The pads of his fingers dragging over metal and his nails catching the edges of seams and plates.

Cayde _finally_ takes him in hand and Edge bites his lip against another whine. He hasn’t even touched himself like this since the last time they’d been together. It hadn’t felt right.

Cayde jerks him off slow, hand going root to tip with a twist near the crown that sends his hips jerking up into the touch. “Cayde, I’m not...” The words are barely loud enough to hear and already Edge can feel that coil low in his gut threatening to snap. He reaches up again to clamp his hand around the back of Cayde’s neck so he can drag him down and press an open mouthed kiss to the corner of the Exo’s mouth.

The metal under his lips is almost hot to the touch, humming with the pleasure between them and making his own skin tingle wherever he’s touching Cayde.

“Come on, Edge.” Cayde murmurs into his ear. “I gotcha.”

He snaps. The pent up force of release spills between them, painting his shirt and Cayde’s hand white. Edge goes boneless, body sinking back into the mattress with a long drawn out sigh of contentment.

Cayde’s body goes still over him and Edge knows that look. He knows that Cayde gets off on him getting off and it’s honestly so empowering to know that the Exo can get something out of the experience as well. Even if it’s not necessarily the same.

“Now I remember why I keep you around.” Cayde says. He rolls to the side and gets to his feet.

Edge can hear him shuffling around the ship but there’s no fear of the other Hunter leaving. Even in the earliest days of their relationship Cayde had made it clear that he wasn’t the type to just take off after sex. There may not have been the feelings then that there are now, but even then Cayde had respected him enough to stick around.

There’s the sound of running water and Edge blinks his eyes open from where he’d apparently started to doze.

“As flattering as that is,” Cayde says. “You’re gonna kill me if I let you fall asleep like that. C’mon, up.”

There’s a hand tugging at his shoulder and Edge lets himself be manhandled into a sitting position while Cayde gets his cloak unclasped and tossed to the floor. His shirt is pulled over his head next and it joins the cloak in a pile on the floor. Edge looks at the clothes and back to Cayde, one eyebrow raised.

Cayde just shrugs. “I just gave you an orgasm, I’m not doing your laundry too. Now budge over. My room’s all the way across the Tower and it’s gotten dark out. You wouldn’t want me to get jumped on my way home would you? All kinds of ruffians in these parts.”

Edge grins, flopping back onto the bed and lifting his hips enough so that he can tug his pants back into place before toeing his boots off the end of the mattress. “You’re welcome to stay here, but your boots are not coming into this bed. You know how I feel about that.”

Cayde sits down on the side of the bed and bends to dutifully remove the offending footwear. “Didn’t seem to have a problem with footwear in the bed when you had your legs around my waist.”

He’s very glad Cayde has his back to him because Edge can feel the blush staining his cheeks. Sometimes he forgets just how crass Cayde can be. “Extenuating circumstances.” He mumbles. And he rolls enough so that he can wrap one arm around Cayde’s waist, curling himself around the Exo like a blue comma. “You know what you do to my sensibilities.”

Cayde laughs and puts a hand on Edge’s bare side, fingers ticking over his ribs. “That I do.”

Edge uses his hold to pull the other down beside him, tugging Cayde’s cloak out from under him to drape over them instead. The ship may be climate controlled to keep them comfortable but there’s something about a well loved cloak that just puts him at ease.

“We still need to talk,” Edge says. His mouth is pressed to Cayde’s shoulder, arm still tucked over the Exo’s waist.

“I know,” Cayde replies. “I’m just glad you came back.”

“I’ll always come back.” And it’s probably the truest thing he’s ever said. Even if this had ended differently. Even if Cayde hadn’t wanted him to be a part of this whatever it is he’s building with Ace, Edge will always come back.

“I think I’m finally starting to get that.” Cayde’s arm comes up around his back and Edge thinks that maybe this is what family is supposed to feel like. And if it is, he’d like to hold onto it.

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter 2 is just a little nsfw follow up to this. Edge and Cayde finally getting a moment together to work out some tension


End file.
